Button sewing machine



Sept 9, 1941. M. GERSHBEIN 2,255,212

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1959 mm NN (n Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Meyer Gershbein, Chicago, lll.

Application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,827

2 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for sewing on buttons.

Itis one of the objects of the present invention 'to provide a machine for sewing on buttons, which machine will be simple and reliable of construction and will involve a minimum amount of change in a standard and highly developed well known sewing machine.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple and reliable means for adapting a Well known type of sewing machine to enable it to sew buttons onto cloth or the like.

In one ordinary chain stitch type of sewing machine, now well known, the sewing is eiected by a single strand of thread. The thread is threaded through a needle which reciprocates through the cloth being sewed, and there is provided a looper on the underside of the cloth so that the continuous length of sewing thread is formed in a series of loops or chains on the underside of the cloth, each chain extending from one stitch to the next. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a machine for sewing buttons onto a piece of cloth or the like by means of a chain stitch sewing machine wherein the button and the machine move relatively to one another so that upon alternate strokes of the needle the needle passes rst through one hole in the button and then through the other, and wherein the looper of the chain stitch sewing machine functions in its usual manner to form a loop on the underside of the material being stitched. Instead of advancing the material being stitched in a step by step manner with each stroke of the needle, I reciprocate the material with respect to the machine so that the chains produced by the stitching machine are superimposed over one another on the underside of the material.

Consider an ordinary chain type sewing machine such as, for instance, the machine known as the Gibbs & Wilcox sewing machine. The principles of such a machine are illustrated in United States Patent No. 246,700, which shows an adaptation of this type machine for sewing straw, with which adaptation we are here not concerned. The machine includes a main shaft from which motion is transmitted to the needle lever, the main shaft also driving the loopen In accordance with the principles of the present invention I provide a gear mounted on the sewing machine and driven by the main shaft of the machine and in turn driving an eccentric at a rate of motion suchthat the eccentric makes onehalf revolution for each complete `cycle of the needle. The base of the machine is mounted in a stationary box in such a manner that the machine can turn with respect to the box about a vertical axis. The eccentric, which is a part of the machine and is driven by the machine main shaft, is connected to the stationary box within which the machine is mounted so that upon rotation of the eccentric it causes the machine to oscillate within the box. The eccentric is made adjustable so that the amplitude of oscillation may be varied as desired, for different sizes of buttons. The adjustment is made such that the angular motion of the machine under the action of the eccentric produces a displacement of the axis of the needle upon alternate .strokes in an amount exactly equal to the distance between two adjacent holes in a button to be sewed. Means is provided for supporting a button in a stationary position with one of the holesV in the button centered under the needle. As the machine is operated and the needle reciprocates, the machine oscillates an amount sufficient to move the needle alternately from a position opposite one hole in a button to a position opposite another hole in the button and then back to its original position. Thus upon reciprocation of the needle the needle passes iirst through one of the holes in the button and then through the opposite hole in the button, alternately. The looper of the machine and the needle cooperate in their usual manner and are not affected by the oscillation of the machine. The looper therefore makes. successive chains in the sewing thread, which chains are under the cloth to which the button is being sewed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple and expedient means for holding a button in sewing position, which means can lbe quickly and easily operated to hold or to release the button, as desired, and which is adapted to grip buttons of different sizes.

The attainment of the above and further objects o the present invention will be apparent from the following specication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view,in partial section, of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken Reference may now be had more particularly' to Figure 1. In this figure I have shown the present invention as applied to a standardl GibbsV & Wilcox chain stitch cloth sewing machine; indicated in general by the reference numeral I. This machine includes a stationary arm' or goose neck 2 extending upwardly from a base 3 with which it is integral. to the stationary arm about; a pivot andreciprocates a needle bar 'I that slides in aligned journal blocks 8 3 integral with the stationary arm 2. The needle lever is oscillated b-y a connecting rod Ii' driven by an eccentric on a main shaft 9' which is adapted to be rotated in any desired manner, as by means of a grooved pulley wheel It, and provided with a hand wheel I I, said hand wheel being also useful as a hand brake;

The main shaftI is journaled in a bearing I3 which is an integral part of theA stationary arm', and a bearing I4 which is integral with the base 3, so that the two bearings, the base and' the stationary arm 2 constitute a single casting, A

presser foot bar I5' is mounted for vertical move'- "i ment in' a pairof bearings similar to the bearings 8-8 and also integral with the stationary arm 2 and located on theY side of the stationary arm 2 immediately opposite the' bearings 8-8. The presser foot bar I5 may be raised orV lowered by'a cam or eccentric Il pivoted eccentrically upon the presser foot bar I5 above the topv bearing 8', all as is well known in the'usual type of` Gibbs & Wilcox chain stitching machine. The presser foot bar I'usuallyl carries a presser' foot at its lower end. This has Vbeen omitted in the present machine. Instead I have mounted a rod I9 rigidly at the bottom of the presser foot barV I5 sothai; upon raising or lowering the presser foot bar therod I9 is raised orlo'wered. In Figure l I haveshownthe rodV IS in its lowered position. An explanation of the structure and' function of this rod will be given as this description proL ceeds. Y

The main shaft 9 carries a looper 25'at one end thereof in cooperative relationship to a needle at the bottom of the needle bar As the needle 26 is reciprocatedv upon rotation of the main shaft 9 the looper 25 is' rotated in proper timed relation thereto and forms a chain stitch, all in a manner' well known in the art; In order to adapt a machine of the type above described for sewing on buttons, a spur gear S0 is mounted on the main shaft 9 to' be driven thereby, which spur gear inturn meshes with andv drives a larger spur gear 3l on a sh'aft'?" journaled in a bearing 33, which isrigidly secured to the bottom of the base 3.l The gearratio between the gears 3G and 3I is such that the gear 3! makes one-half revolutionfor one complete cycle of travel of the needle lever 5. A bar is adjustably rigidly locked to the gear .SI- by two screw bolts 36 which permit adjustment of theeccentricity ofthe-bar 35 on the gear 3l; The

A needle lever 5 is pivoted bar 35 carries a ball 38 at its end, which ball rides in the trough of a vertical channel 33 which is rigid with respect to the machine supporting structure to be presently more fully described.

The machine is pivotally mounted in a boxlike stationary support 40, which includes a base 4|, back Wall 42, iront wall 43, and opposite side walls 44 and 45. A pivot bolt 46 extends through the base 4I of the support 4i] and threads into the base 3. The bolt bears against the bottom 4I ofthebox so that the machine is held against vertical movement with respect to the box but is free to turn about the pivot bolt 46 as a vertical axis, The wall 44 of the box has a very much voversized opening 48 so that the main shaft 9 can extend through the box and yet permit the oscillation of the machine about the vertical pivot bolt 46 as an axis. Likewise the opposite side 45 of the box 40 also has an oversized opening 49 for the saine purpose. A plate 50 is removably secured over the opening 49 but does not entirely close the same, said plate itself having an opening to permit the looper of the machine to extend therethrough and move with the machine as the machine pivots about the pivot bolt 46.

The channel 39 is rigidly secured to the plate 50 and extends in a vertical direction.

From the description thus far given it is apparent that as the main shaft 5 is rotated, causing rotation of the gear 3l, the bar 35 rotates about the center of the-gear 3i. The bar 35 is eccentrically mounted upon the gear 3|, as previously explained. The ball 38, which is secured to the bar 35, rides in the channel 39 in an up and down direction but is restrained against side movement; by the iianges of the channel. Therefore, upon rotation of the gear 3l the resulting eccentric rotation of the bar 35 which is held atene end by the channel 39 causes the gear 3l to move vback and' forth, and to'move the entire machine i with it, so that the entire machine I, including the base 3 thereof, oscllates' about the pivot bolt 4B as a center. The amplitude of oscilla-tion is determined by the extent of eccentric-ity of the bar 35A on the gear 3I as set by the screw bolts 36.

A" plate 6d is screwed to the sides 42-43 of the stationary support 4G by four screws 6I. The plateY Goris' thus stationary with respect to the support dil. The plate 6G is slotted at one end to permit the machine arm 2 to oscillate about the pivot bolt 45' without contacting the plate, and the plate `has an oversized hole 63Y through which the needle 2Ii`is free to pass, the hole being of` such size that the needle clears the plate in either extreme position of oscillation of the machine. Y Y

A button holding clamping devicev 65 which constitutes also a presser foot of the machine is secured to the'plateV 6i). This clamping device comprises a plate 66' hinged at 51 about a horizontal pivot and secured to the'plate 60 by screws 68. A pair of jaws 68-68 are pivotally mounted on the underside of the plate 65 by a pair oi' pivot screws 69. The jaws have button gripping fingers l0-"III adapted releasably to grip a buttonl l, said jaws being each provided with a V- shaped groove 12 into which the button ts. The

jaws may be spread apart by a circular cam 'I4 pivoted to thev under side of the yplate 65 by a pivot pin' 15. The cam has a pair of rectangular slots "I6 therein through which pins 'VI thatare rigid. with respect to the jaws 68" extend. The circular" cam is provided with a handle T9 `for turning the same about the pivot '15. As the circular cam 14 is turned about the pin l5 the edges of the slots '16 reacting upon the pins 11 cause a spreading of the jaws 68. A spring 80 urges the circular cam 'i5 to a position urging the jaws towards one another into gripping relation to a button 'H held therein. The plate 66 has a U-shaped strap 82 welded or otherwise secured on the top thereof, through which the forward end 83 of the rod I9 slides.

When the presser foot bar I6 is raised, thus raising the rod I9, the forward end 83 of the rod also rises and thus raises the button gripping mechanism 35 so that the bottom of the jaws 68 clear the plate 6d. A piece of cloth to which the button is to be sewed can then be placed on the plate B6 over the hole 63. Thereafter the presser foot bar I6 can be lowered to lower the button holding clamping device 65 to the position illustrated in Figure 1. The button Il is positioned in the gripping fingers lil so that the holes 85-86 of the button are in line at right angles to the axis of the main shaft 9 that is at right angles to the plane of the paper as seen in Figure l. The eccentricity of the bar 35 is so adiusted that the amplitude of oscillation of the machine at the center of the needle 2B is equal to the distance of the holes Sil-86 in the button. The needle is now opposite one of the holes. As the machine is operated the needle descends in its sewing operation and cooperates with the looper to make one stitch. At this time the needle passes through one of the holes, say the hole 86, of the button. As the needle rises out of the button the thread is looped around theiooper and extends through the hole 8o. Upon descent of the needle the entire machine is turned about the pivot bolt 46 an amount such that when the needle moves downwardly again it passes through the opposite button hole 85 and cooperates with the looper in the usual manner to form a chain stitch. 'When the needle reciprocates out of the hole 85 and before it makes its next down stroke the machine has again oscillated about the pivot bolt 4S to bring the needle again opposite the hole 86 in the button. Thus the strokes of the needle are alternately iirst through one of the holes 85 and then through the other SS. During this sewing Operation the button is being held in the jaws 68 which are stationary on the plate 66 secured to the frame d in which the machine is mounted.

If a four hole button is used the button is positioned as previously so that the stitching is rst through two adjacent holes. When that stitching has been completed the button may be pushed further back or forward in the jaws to bring the next two holes of the button into sewing relation to the needle.

If a larger button is used the clamping action of the button by the jaws 68 is the same as before. However, the eccentricity of the bar must be changed to increase the amplitude of oscillation of the machine about the pivot bolt 4B.

During normal operation of the machine the cloth upon which the button is to be sewed rests upon the plate and is held against said plate by the iiat bottom portions of the button gripping fingers 'lil-1li of the button clamping device 65. The button clamping device therefore acts as a presser foot for the cloth. At the same time the rod I9, which is connected to the presser foot bar I6, is adapted to raise and lower the button holding device to permit ready insertion or removal of a piece of cloth into or out of sewing position. Since the button clamping device is raised or lowered by a pivotal action about the hinge 6l', and the rod l which is carried by the presser foot bar I6 is coniined to a vertical up and down movement by the up and down movement of the presser foot bar I5, it is necessary that the U-shaped strap 82 be oversized with respect to the forward end 83 of the rod I9. This also facilitates the sliding of the forward end 83 of the rod I9 in and out of the saddle 82 as the sewing machine oscillates.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus o-f the class described comprising an open top box, a sewing machine having a base resting on the bottom oi the box and swivelled in place to permit turning of the machine as a unit about a vertical axis, said machine including a head extending from the base outwardly of the box and including a vertically reciprocating needle above the box, a rotatable main shaft carried by the portion of the machine Within the box, a looper carried by the machine below the top of the box and driven by the main shaft, auxiliary speed reducing gearing carried by the machine and driven by the main shaft, an eccentric connection between said auxiliary gearing and one wall of the box whereby upon rotation of said 1 gearing the eccentric connection reacts against the wall of the box to oscillate the machine as a unit in the box about its vertical axis, means secured to the top of the box for holding a piece of cloth and a button superimposed thereon and both stationary between the needle and the looper, whereby alternate strokes of the needle pass through one button hole and the remaining strokes, pass through another button hole as the machine oscillates during the sewing operation. 2. Apparatus of the class described comprising an open top box, a sewing machine having a base resting on the bottom of the box and swivelled in place to permit turning ofthe machine as a unit about a vertical axis, said machine including a head extending from the base outwardly of the boX and including a vertically reciprocating needle above the box, a rotatable main shaft carried by the portion of the machine within the box, a looper carried by the machine below the top of the bo-x and driven by the main shaft, auxiliary speed reducing gearing carried by the machine and driven by the main shaft, an eccentric connection between said auxiliary gearing and one wall of the box whereby upon rota` tion of said gearing the eccentric connection reacts against the wall of the box to oscillate the machine as a unit in the box about its vertical axis, means secured to the top of the box for holding a piece of cloth and a button superimposed thereon and both stationary between the needle and the looper, whereby the needle passes through one button hole during alternate strokes of the needle through another button hole during the intervening alternate strokes of the needle as the machine oscillates during the sewing operation, said last means including a plate secured to the top of the box and substantially covering the top thereof and having openings through which the machine head and needle can pass.

MEYER GERSI-IBEIN. 

